Kennedy walked into a crowded press conference and read a one-page declaration of his
candidacy for the Presidency (Sorensen 122).
?I am announcing today my candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. . . .
In the past forty months, I have toured every state in the Union and I have talked to
Democrats in all walks of life. My candidacy is therefore based on the conviction that I
can win both the nomination and the election? (Sorensen 122).
Kennedy?s campaign opened on a low note, polls showed that Nixon was far better
known than Kennedy on the basis of his national office and four nationwide campaigns;
that Nixon was looked upon as more experienced; and that Kennedy was known primarily
as a wealthy, inexperienced, youthful Catholic. The Democrats were in a state of division,
while Nixon had successfully rallied the Republicans. Kennedy took the this time to
organized himself and manifest support for his campaign run, through a steady onlslaught
of speeches, and meetings Kennedy seemed almost to thrive (Sorensen 178). Focusingnot
on singular issues but instead Kennedy expressed his discontent with America?s current
situation, he insisted that we could do better.
Kennedy indeed won the election by a very narrow margin, so narrow that the
victory could almost be attributed to any list of decisive factors. However there are seven
that prominantly stick out. The Television Debates. At this point in American history this
was the most televised campaign ever and Kennedy?s vitality and knowledge appealed to
millions of voters who probably would have simply acknowledged him as too
inexperienced and young. One survey showed that four million voters made up their
minds simply by the debates, giving Kennedy a three-to-one margin (Sorensen 213).
Campaign Tactics. Kennedy?s vigorous, intensified campaign style was aggressive from
the start instilling a feeling of unreached potential. His tactics enabled him to swing many
undecided voters and probably even more if time had permitted (Sorensen 214). Party
Identification. Kennedy appealed frequently and aggressively to party unity, loyalty, and
history. His party was the majority party in terms of Senators, Congressmen, governors,
and mayors, this allowed for heavy organization and heavy registration of voters. Nearly
seven million more people that the amount that voted four years earlier. Black Relations.
Kennedy?s concerned call to the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was hailed throughout
the black community, which thenproceeded to vote overwhelmingly for Kennedy.
Do to length constraints the paper will jump ahead to focus on one example of the
President?s response to a domestic issue and the President?s view on foreign policy.
?The Fight For Equal Rights? (Sorensen 470). In 1953 John Kennedy was
adamantly in favor of civil rights legislation as a political neccessity and simply recognized
that this legislation was morally correct. However in 1963 Kennedy was deeply
committed to human rights. His convictions on this subject were not converted, but
instead reached by his characteristic gradualness, logic, and cool mentality. He
immediately began to implement programs that would incorporate a stronger black
prescence in the legislative and judical branches of government. However an element that
was seriously lacking were civil rights measures. No amount of Presidential pressure
could put through the Eighty-seventh Congress a meaningful legislative package on civil
rights (Sorensen 476). Kennedy responded to his situation at a press conference by
saying, ?when I feel that there is a necessity for Congressional action, with a chance of
getting that Congressional action, then I will recommend it? (Sorensen 476). Nevertheless
Kennedy pushed and pushed first through legislation aimed at massive registration to
massive desegregation. Executive orders barred segregation or descrimination in the
armed forces Reserves, in the training of civil defense workers, in the off-base treatment of
military personnel, in Federally aided libraries and in the summer college training institutes
of the National Science Foundation and National Defense Education Act.
?The Olive Branch? (Sorensen 509). John Kennedy?s approach to foreign affairs was very
different from his approach to domestic problems, this was because foreign affairs had
always appealed to him far more than domestic. They took up a great deal more of his
time and energy as President. They severely tested his abilities of execution and
judgement, and his ability to react to consistent unforeseeable events. The following two
quotes are one of many that sum up his opinion on foreign policy, ?Let us never negotiate
out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate? and ?We must face up to the chance of war,
if we are to maintain the peace. . . . Diplomacy and defense are not substitutes for one
another. . . . A willingness to resist force, unaccompained by a willing to
talk, could prevoke belligerence–while a willingness to talk, unaccompanied by a
willingness to resist force, could invite disaster. . . . While we shall negotiate freely, we
shall not negotiate freedom. . . . In short, we are neither ?warmongers? nor ?appeasers,?
neither ?hard? nor ?soft.? We are Americans? (Sorensen 511)
The President faced many crisises whether domestic or foreign. He was forced to
deal with the escalating Cold War, the Cuban Missle Crisis, Civil Rights, Recession and
Inflation. With each issue he faced he responded with dilligence, careful thought and
decisive action. Throught every scenario he faced from election to the Senate to the
Presidential campaign he was able to expand his ideas and maintain a healthy open
attitude. That was the shock of November, 1963. Jack Kennedy was living at his peak.
Almost everything seemed to be moving in his direction. He was healthy, respected, and
looking forward to the comepletion of his first term and start of his second term. To
suddenly be ?cut off? is not simply a loss, but a loss of what could have been. In less than
three years he presided over a new era in American race relations, a new era in our a
Latin-American relations, a new era in fiscal and economic policy and a new era in the
exploration of space. His Presidency helped launch the longest and strongest period of
economic expansion for that period of time, and new and enlarged roles for the Federal
Government in higher education, mental affliction, civil rights, and the conservation of
human and natural resources. If I was to rate the president I would conclude that since he
was the first Executive power to back the civil rights movement and such that he was
indeed a great president. A man far greater than the legend he left us who truly believed
that one man could make a difference. I feel that what makes him such a great president is
what he stood for, hope in an era of doubt, public service ahead of private interests, for
reconciliation between black and white, labor and management. His sole defense for such
a rating are his actions and his beliefs. I have to admit that before this report I really knew
nothing of J. F. K. Of course I knew of his assassination but of his legislative and
executive work I knew absolutely nothing except for the work he did for civil rights which
my father informed me of at an early age. However now I feel a great deal more informed
and I found his life rather interesting. If he had not of died he would be around 86 this
year and most likely still very active in the Senate or some form of political office.
Interesting to note the effect his wisdom and advice could have affected the way the
United States is now today.